Welcome to CAAT's July email bulletin
Countdown to DSEi - Read all about it in the latest CAATnews, out now!
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Contents:
DSEi, the world's largest arms fair, is now less than two months away. DSEi opens on 8 September and continues to 11 September. CAAT is already organising to meet the DSEi challenge. An arms bazaar like DSEi takes place only because the government allows it. Even worse, the UK government gives active support through UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO). More info is available online .
It's crucial to highlight the government's role in making DSEi happen. We must challenge the concept that helping private companies profit from conflict is a legitimate use of public resources. CAAT will be protesting at the ExCel centre on the morning of 8 September then taking our protest to UKTI's office in central London in the afternoon. We hope you'll be able to join us.
If you want to keep up with the very latest on DSEi and CAAT's other campaigning activities, why not follow CAAT on social networking service, Twitter? Each tweet is a maximum of 140 characters so there is not too much to digest. Join the twitter revolution in the leadup to DSEi online.
You can also spread our messages to new audiences by becoming a Local Media Contact - email David - or by blogging for CAAT - contact Kaye .
The government and arms industry wants us to believe that arms trade jobs are both numerous and irreplaceable.
Not so, in fact the opposite is true. To get the facts and learn about the alternatives, look at our new arms
trade jobs briefing.
With facts, figures and sources it will give you everything you need to counter the jobs spin.
Read the Jobs overview
online.
In a surprise move, the government has announced that it is revoking five arms export licences to Israel.
The licences were for naval equipment used in the bombardment of Gaza at the beginning of 2009. It's a
welcome move but far too little, far too late. CAAT maintains that the only ethical and effective stance
is a complete arms embarago on Israel.
Learn more
online
.
CAAT's very own wandering minstrel, singer and guitarist Lonely Joe Parker will be taking to his bike and gigging around the southern counties in the weeks leading up to DSEi to raise much needed funds for CAAT. His tour starts and ends in Southampton, with stops in Winchester, London and Brighton among others. Joe would love to see some CAAT supporters at each venue. For a full tour itinerary and to sample Joe's sounds visit his MySpace page.
To support Joe and CAAT visit the Bike Tour online fundraising page on the BmyCharity website.
Second to last in our July running order (pun intended) are Kat Hobbs and Sami Wannell, our dedicated runners in the Great Yorkshire Run, taking place in Sheffield on 6 September. Kat and Sami helped set up Weapons out of Warwick at Warwick University and will be raising money for CAAT.
You can sponsor them at BmyCharity . And if you live in Sheffield, why not turn out to cheer them on?
CAAT's National Gathering will take place on 31 October 2009.
This year we will meet at Toynbee Studios at 28 Commercial Street, London E1, just two minutes walk from Aldgate East tube. Book your place now for a great day of speakers, discussions and inspiration. Online booking will be available shortly but in the meantime email Julia . More information is available online .
This email was sent to you by Campaign Against Arms Trade.
Campaign Against Arms Trade is working for the reduction and ultimate abolition of the international arms trade, together with progressive demilitarisation within arms-producing countries.